A Slice of Summer in The Peach Keeper

I have eagerly awaited Sarah Addison Allen’s latest novel, The Peach Keeper, as Addison Allen typically writes lighter novels that feature female protagonists, friendship and a little magic—a perfect summer book blend.

The premise of The Peach Keeper is that everyone has a past, most likely one they want to forget. And yet that past follows you and is with you as you attempt to move forward in life. Can you ever really go home again?

Willa’s great great grandfather built the Blue Ridge Madam, a long neglected historical house with an ancient peach tree in the front yard. Willa has never been in the house, but Willa’s Grandmother lived in the house as a young lady. In present times, during the manor’s elaborate restorations, the peach tree is removed and a body is unearthed. No one knows who the dead person is, but Willa suspects that her Grandmother Georgie may have once known the answer, sadly Georgie now has dementia.

At age 30, the fiercely independent Willa has moved back to her small hometown and decided to settle into a quiet life as a respectable shopkeeper. Willa is still trying to live down her high school reputation where she was known as a troublemaker. Meanwhile, Paxton is the Southern Momma’s Girl, looking picture perfect and making all the right choices while inwardly cringing in that she is single and still lives at home under her Mother’s thumb. Willa and Paxton would never have associated in high school; however, they must work together now to learn the story behind the body found under the peach tree.

Love, friendship and a sprinkle of mystery hold the easy pace of The Peach Keeper and will keep the reader intrigued to the very end.

JUST FOR FUN: Author Sarah Addison Allen has a lovely interactive website and there she has a great coffee personality guide--be sure to check your coffee persona by selecting the following link and then select the Not Just Fiction link.

http://www.sarahaddisonallen.com/the_...

Summer Reading Lists

The sun is shining, the sky is powder blue and we are getting ready to leave on our vacation; it is time to gather up those beach read books!

Below is a list of some of my favorite reads from this year, books that I feel will make great beach reads. Of course, I want to hear your suggestions as well. What books will you take on your vacation this summer?

In order my summer reading suggestions include:

1. The Night Circus, this ranks first because this is my new favorite book! I loved this enchanting novel!
2.   How to Eat a Cupcake, a light novel that will cause cupcake cravings, a perfectly delicious beach read.
3. The Language of Trees, interesting and well written, a nice off the beaten path novel.
4. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, a Southern coming of age delight,
5.  The Housekeeper and the Professor, for the serious literary fan, a smart and fascinating take on the “what ifs” of short term memory.

My to-read beach  list (I’ve been saving these in a special vacation pile):

The Peachkeeper, The Language of Flowers, A Discovery of Witches. I’ve also chosen two mysteries--  Kill Me if you Can by James Patterson and 9 Dragons by Michael Connelly.

Ahhh, for me there is nothing better than sand sun and a great beach read….yeah summer!

What are the Independent Book Blog Awards?

The Independent Book Blogger Awards (IBBAs) are new book blog awards created by Goodreads.com and The Association of American Publishers. There are four blog categories: Adult Fiction, Adult Nonfiction, Children’s/Young Adult and Publishing Industry. In the future, I see a fifth category for those who write for Bookstores/Libraries as many of the Adult Fiction blogs were written by librarians.  My blog falls squarely into the Adult Fiction category, be sure to vote for A Wife of Book Club Blog by clicking the Voting Button on the sidebar!

For me and my fellow book bloggers, the IBBAs are a symbol of hope for the little people. We are the individuals who write book blogs simply because books inspire and motivate us. The IBBAs are such a wonderful and welcome idea. I applaud the IBBA creators and send a heartfelt Thank you!

I highly encourage you to review and click on the numerous IBBA entries as there are some wonderful and interesting blogs out there! I was especially impressed with Ann R. Allen’s Blog in the Publishing Industry category.  I voted for Anne, here is her link…

http://annerallen.blogspot.com/

 I strongly believe that the IBBAs will be a success and will continue in future years simply based on the fact that there are almost 400 entrants in the Adult Fiction category! WOW, go book bloggers!


*UPDATE: Voting closed on 23 April. Thanks for your votes!

After Reads--Genre Author Recommendations

I love to share and recommend books, often saving paperbacks in order to give them to friends and family. My Dad gets all of the good mysteries (Michael Connelly, Daniel Silva) while my sister gets the book club novels (Them Bones, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt). Here are some of my favorite After Reads which are my author recommendations for when you’ve finished your favorite series and need a new author in a similar genre.

JK Rowling Author Matches to Rick Riordin and Jonathan Stroud

The Lightening Thief features Percy Jackson, a difficult child, one with ADHD who’s been kicked out of every school he’s attended. Now that he is eleven he starts seeing and dreaming odd things. With the gods speaking to Percy in dreams, Percy is soon immersed in another world, one that he never knew existed, that of the Greek gods. Percy will soon learn that he is a half-blood—the son of a God and a human. Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades are infighting and since Percy is a magnet for trouble, he is soon accused of stealing Zeus’ Lightning Bolt. This book was written and is classified for young adults, but if you like Harry Potter or know a bit about Greek mythology, you need to read the Percy Jackson series written by Rick Riordin.

In The Amulet of Samarkand, Nathaniel is a young apprentice magician with a grumpy Master who doesn’t recognize his student’s intelligence. Nathaniel knows much more than his Master would believe, even having learned how to summon a demon named Bartimaeus. The boy has soon charged Bartimaeus to retrieve the Amulet of Samarkand. Bartimaeus is a demon who must obey the boy, a defiant demon, and a dangerous demon, one whose mind constantly works to determine a way to kill the boy. Even as a demon, Bartimaeus is determined to survive, he wants to live, to be released from his service to the boy. Soon the demon and young magician unwillingly join forces to defend themselves against a greater evil. Before you think that this is too reminiscent of Harry Potter. No it is not! Magic is the only common denominator. The Amulet of Samarkand was written by Jonathan Stroud.

Elizabeth George compares to Louise Penny

Louise Penny outshines all contemporary mystery novelists, I simply adore her style! Penny’s mysteries are the greatest reads that you’ve been missing, there is a reason the she’s the winner of the New Blood Dagger Award. I find that Penny’s novels are reminiscent of Elizabeth George’s descriptive and deep British mysteries. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is one of my favorite characters; I highly encourage you to get to know this warm and intelligent homicide Inspector. Still Life is Penny’s first Gamache novel set in the town of Three Pines, a sleepy town which is deeply disturbed when one of their own has been ruthlessly murdered. Jane Neal was an artist and her work is either horrific or genius depending on the viewer, there is no obvious reason for her death. Immerse yourself in this Three Pines mystery, the townspeople are so complex and real they will become your friends and neighbors.

When you are looking for that next great read, take a look at my After Read Selections and find your next author!

Vote for A Wife of Book Club Blog in the IBBA!

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Sister, A Masterful Debut

Intriguing, smart, suspenseful

Early on Beatrice gets a phone call that her little sister is missing; she knows her sister and feels an immediate gut-wrenching fear. Beatrice catches the next flight to London in order to get information about her sister’s disappearance. The only true thing that Beatrice knows at this point is that she knows Tess; there is no way that her sister left on her own volition.

This story is smartly told from Beatrice’s perspective as she immerses herself into her sister’s life, living in her sisters flat, and working with investigators to determine what could have happened to her sister. Beatrice tries to tell the story from the beginning, as she tells it to the Criminal Prosecution Service lawyer.

 The first bombshell occurs in Beatrice’s initial police interview when she asks if they have checked the hospitals as her sister may have gone into labor. Neither Tess’ Mom nor the Detective knew that the missing Tess was pregnant. The surprised Detective reveals that he has talked to the baby’s father, Tess’ Art Professor; however, the Professor acknowledged Tess only as a student, nothing more. Additionally, Beatrice reveals that Tess' baby had been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.

Beatrice’s obsession with what has happened to her sister is overwhelming and almost debilitating. Soon Beatrice has lost her job in America, stubbornly refusing to leave London. Beatrice will live in her sister's flat, work at a bar and investigate her sister’s disappearance in her free time, which ultimately makes her a target.

Suspects emerge early in Beatrice’s investigation. First there is the fellow student Simon, a stalker that has based his thesis on photos of Tess, many taken without her knowledge. Next is the baby’s father, Tess’ Professor who didn’t tell the police about his relationship with Tess because he is married with a family. Lastly, there is Chrome-Med the suspect genetics company that gave Tess the Cystic Fibrosis trial drugs.

So what happened to Tess? The reader will eventually learn the whole story behind Tess’ disappearance; it builds up from little glimpses throughout the suspenseful storyline.

If your book club needs a punch of adrenaline, something less dull and more intense, give this page-turning thriller a try.

Sister was written by Rosamund Lupton and is available in Trade Paperback now.

Review: The Weird Sisters

The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Such an odd title, and I never figured it out, these sisters weren’t weird by any conventional definition*. This story is about three sisters each at a major crossroad in her life. Rosalind is the eldest and is engaged but unhappy as she doesn’t want to relocate to be with her fiancée who has landed a great job in London. Bianca is the middle sister, forced to return home after being fired from her job for stealing funds. Cordy is the baby, a wanderer who has flitted her way through life, a transient who has just learned that she is pregnant.
These sisters are too old to be considered girls as they are ladies in their late twenties and early thirties, so they have already come “of age”. Each uses their mother’s cancer illness as a reason to move home. Named after their professor father’s favorite Shakespeare heroines, the three sisters tolerate each other, old issues still frothing to the surface as they live under one roof again.

As the eldest, Rosalind is the caretaker; she gets frustrated with her unorganized and selfish siblings. Rosalind makes the dinners, takes her mom to the hospital, and ensures that her mother has all that she needs. When Rosalind is given the opportunity to work for the college in her hometown, she is more than tempted. However she is engaged to a man who has a job far from home in another country, she doesn’t want to leave…how will she know what to do?

Bianca is beyond lost, she thought she would live a glamorous life in New York, but now she owes everyone money and debt collectors are on her trail. She leaves New York with all of her newly acquired belongings (clothes) but with nothing else. She owes her old company money, she owes back-rent, and has no way to pay it back. She has always been the most attractive sister, so almost the minute she gets to town she initiates an affair with a married man. She is ashamed at how her life has turned and finds her solace not in the church, but in the old town library.

Cordy has neglected herself and her body, she is tired and hungry, her first actions upon returning home are to sleep and eat. The others notice her eating ravenously but she’s so thin that they do not suspect her pregnancy and she is afraid to bring it up. The only thing she knows with all her heart is that the baby is hers and hers alone. An old high school friend gives Cordy a part time job as a waitress at a coffee shop, not a dream job, but one in which she starts to find satisfaction.

The sisters unite a bit as they see how fragile their mother has become, for her they must set their differences aside. One aspect of this book that I like is that all members of the family love books; their home is filled with books, how fabulous.

All in all, I think this would be a good Book club book, it is a simple straightforward tale about love and family, home and sisters.

*The author's website claims that Weird had a different definition in Shakespeare's time...



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